South Australian Council of Social Service

You may have noticed SACOSS has not recently posted here. Owing to concerns about the platform's current direction, will not be posting in the forseeable future. We are still on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

The Recidivist Young Offenders Bill risks doing more harm than good. Punitive bail laws & mandatory detention won’t reduce youth offending — they’ll entrench trauma & disadvantage. We’re calling for therapeutic, community-led solutions. tinyurl.com/yprzsahu

In 2022–23, 1 in 3 women seeking help were left in insecure housing — couch surfing, sleeping in cars or in short-term accommodation. Homelessness services urgently need funding. sacoss.org.au/homelessness-w…

Homelessness funding has dropped 11.2% in real terms since COVID - from $102.6m down to $92.3m. That’s a 15.4% cut per client. More on our webpage: sacoss.org.au/homelessness-w…

Registrations are now open for the SACOSS Energy Forum on Thursday 11 September at the Drive: sacoss.org.au/connecting-fai…

SACOSS farewells outgoing CEO Ross Womersley after 15 years of outstanding service. We will miss his inimitable style and unwavering dedication to justice, opportunity and shared wealth for all South Australians. Thanks Ross.

Renters are paying for: Cold homes. High bills. Poor health. SACOSS backs minimum energy standards for rentals to address this inequity. Submission here: sacoss.org.au/submission-to-… #RentersRights #EnergyJustice #HousingEquity #SACOSS

This NAIDOC Week we congratulate the dual winners of the Premier’s 2025 NAIDOC award, Aunty Josephine Kunde and Uncle Michael (Mickey) Kumatpi O’Brien. More in this InDaily story tinyurl.com/t8vfxev6

Two years on from the Robodebt Royal Commission report, ACOSS stands with the more than 400,000 victims who were harmed by the Robodebt scheme: acoss.org.au/media-releases…

Department Social Services figure show decrease in number of students who receive Youth Allowance payments over the past 20 years, experts noting that low payment may be deterring low-income and regional students from enrolling or completing their studies: abc.net.au/news/2025-07-0…

There is still time for you to register to attend the Navigating Liability and Justice in Emergencies and Disasters forum and we are excited that we are now able to deliver this event at no cost to participants. tinyurl.com/2znk6xca

Today EJA and @Welfare_Rights had a productive meeting with @Tanya_Plibersek to discuss various issues within social security, and the urgent need for legislative reform. Sincere thanks to the Minister for her time and thoughtful engagement. We look forward to working together.

We’re delighted to announce Dr Catherine Earl as our new Chief Executive Officer. She returns to SACOSS with 15+ years' experience in advocacy, research & social policy. A warm welcome to Catherine, and heartfelt thanks to outgoing CEO Ross Womersley: tinyurl.com/42t3bd96

Nearly 7 in 10 renters fear rent hikes if they request repairs. In SA, too many renters live in insecure and unaffordable housing. We need rent caps, stronger protections & social housing investment. @ACOSS media release: tinyurl.com/yt5tu8rv #RentalCrisis #RightToAHome

Renters who are unemployed have more rental unaffordability, insecurity and quality – being more likely to live in homes needing repairs, worried that requesting repairs might mean a rent rise, and struggle to afford a rent rise - than other renters. bit.ly/3G5kMMM

Given the ongoing criticism SACOSS has made about the effect of the electricity Default Market Offer (DMO) on power prices in SA, we join @ACOSS in welcoming the announcement from the federal government for a review of the DMO. tinyurl.com/5n7wrvcz

Are you prepared for the legal risks disasters can bring? Our upcoming forum will equip community service leaders with critical knowledge about liability, safety, and justice in emergencies. 17 July | Keswick + online: tinyurl.com/2znk6xca #CommunitySector #LegalRights

Disasters bring more than operational disruption—they also raise complex legal issues. Join us on Thursday 17 July for a free full-day forum designed for community service organisations. Register: tinyurl.com/2znk6xca #EmergencyManagement #CommunitySector

We launched our #SABudget2025 analysis today with Treasurer Stephen Mullighan at the SACOSS Budget Breakfast. Some wins for education & housing but not enough support for low-income SA households - a law & order budget that misses the mark on equity: tinyurl.com/2twzcry4

@theTiser reports ~450,000 SA households pay peak energy prices even when wholesale costs drop below $0. CEO Ross Womersley: “Time-of-use tariffs aren’t doing what was promised. The system is failing consumers.” tinyurl.com/5bja3ss6 #AEMC